Maya's POV
I couldn't sleep.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Rebecca's beaten face. Every time I tried to relax, I remembered Marcus's threat. And every time I started to drift off, I thought about Dante's insane proposal.
Marry me.
Two words that should have sent me running. Instead, they kept playing on repeat in my head like a song I couldn't shake.
At 2 AM, I gave up on sleep and crept downstairs. Through the kitchen window, I could see a light on in Dante's house. He was awake too.
Was he regretting his offer? Hoping I'd say no so he could escape this mess?
My phone sat on the counter, Rebecca's warning text still open. I'd tried calling her back seventeen times. Every call went straight to voicemail. Every text went unanswered.
Marcus had done something to her. Something bad enough that she'd risked contacting me to warn me, then disappeared.
What would he do to Dante if I let him help me?
A knock at the back door made me jump, nearly dropping my phone.
Dante stood on my porch, looking as exhausted as I felt. He held up two cups of coffee like a peace offering.
"Saw your light on," he said when I opened the door. "Figured you couldn't sleep either."
"You shouldn't be here. If Marcus is still watching—"
"Let him watch." Dante's jaw was set. "I meant what I said earlier. I'm not afraid of him."
"You should be." I took the coffee he offered, the warmth seeping into my cold hands. "Rebecca called to warn me about his custody plan. Then she disappeared. Now I know why. He hurt her, Dante. Badly. Because she tried to help me."
"I saw the photo." His green eyes were serious. "That's exactly why you need protection. Real protection."
"From a tattoo artist I met this morning?" The words came out harsher than I meant. "No offense, but what exactly can you do against a man like Marcus? He has money, connections, lawyers who'll twist anything—"
"I have resources too." Something flickered across Dante's face. "More than you'd think. Trust me when I say I can protect you and Lily."
"I don't understand why you'd risk yourself for us. We're strangers."
Dante was quiet for a moment, staring into his coffee. "When I was young—really young—I watched my mother get destroyed by a man like Marcus. Controlling, manipulative, violent. She had no one to help her. No one willing to stand up to him." His voice roughened. "I was too small to protect her then. But I'm not small anymore. And you're not alone anymore."
My throat tightened. "I'm sorry. About your mother."
"Don't be sorry. Just let me help." He looked up, and the intensity in his eyes made my heart skip. "You have until morning to decide. But Maya, I need you to understand something—if you say yes, I'm all in. This isn't a casual offer. When I commit to protecting someone, I don't back down. Ever."
"Even if Marcus comes after you?"
"Especially then."
God help me, I believed him.
We stood there in the doorway, cold February air swirling between us, both holding coffee and pretending this wasn't the strangest, most terrifying conversation of my life.
"Can I ask you something?" I said finally.
"Anything."
"Those tattoos on your arms. The gold ones that seemed to glow earlier. What are they?"
Dante's entire body went still. "You saw that?"
"When you confronted Marcus. They lit up through your shirt. I thought I was seeing things, but—" I stepped closer, curious despite my fear. "What are they?"
He hesitated, like he was deciding something important. Then slowly, he rolled up his sleeve.
The tattoos covering his arm were beautiful—intricate swirls and symbols that looked ancient. But as I watched, some of them actually glowed with faint golden light.
"How is that possible?" I breathed.
"They're not regular tattoos." Dante's voice was careful. "They're... markers. From my old life. Before I moved here."
"What kind of markers?"
"The kind that prove I can protect you better than anyone else could." He met my eyes. "I can't explain everything right now. But those marks mean I've spent a very long time learning how to recognize dangerous people. How to fight them. How to win." His expression softened. "Marcus is dangerous, Maya. But he's human. He bleeds. He can be stopped."
Human. The way he said it made it sound like there were things that weren't human. But that was crazy.
Wasn't it?
"I need to think," I whispered.
"I know. Take the time you need." Dante started to turn away, then stopped. "But Maya? Don't wait too long. Marcus gave you 48 hours. We've already lost half a day."
He was right. Time was running out.
I locked the door behind him and leaned against it, my mind spinning. Marry a stranger to protect my daughter. It was insane. Reckless. Exactly the kind of impulsive decision I'd sworn never to make again after Marcus.
But this felt different. Dante felt different.
Maybe I was being stupid. Maybe I was reading kindness where there was only pity. Maybe I was about to make the biggest mistake of my life.
Or maybe—just maybe—Dante Rossi was exactly what he seemed. A good man willing to fight for someone who needed help.
I picked up my phone, scrolling through my contacts until I found Vanessa's number. My best friend. The only person I could trust with this decision.
The phone rang twice before she answered, groggy with sleep.
"Maya? It's two in the morning. What's wrong?"
"I need advice. About something crazy."
"How crazy are we talking?"
"Marrying my new neighbor to stop Marcus from taking Lily crazy."
Silence. Then: "I'm coming over. Don't do anything until I get there."
The line went dead.
I made fresh coffee and waited, watching the clock tick closer to morning. Closer to the deadline I'd have to give Dante an answer.
Vanessa burst through my front door fifteen minutes later, her hair in a messy bun, wearing pajamas under her coat.
"Okay," she said, pointing at me. "Start from the beginning. And don't leave anything out."
I told her everything. Marcus's threat. Rebecca's warning. Dante's proposal. The glowing tattoos. All of it.
Vanessa listened without interrupting, her expression growing more serious with each detail.
"So?" I asked when I finished. "What do you think? Am I insane for considering this?"
"You're insane if you don't do it," Vanessa said immediately. "Maya, this guy broke into your house to save you, made you pancakes, fixed your door, confronted your psycho ex, and offered to marry you to protect your daughter. All in one day. If you don't marry him, I will."
"Vanessa—"
"I'm serious! When was the last time a man did anything for you without expecting something in return? When was the last time someone made you feel safe?" She grabbed my hands. "I know you're scared. I know Marcus destroyed your ability to trust. But this Dante guy? He's giving you a way to fight back. Take it."
"What if it's a mistake?"
"What if it's not?" Vanessa squeezed my hands. "What if he's exactly what he seems—a good man who wants to help? Are you really going to turn that down because you're afraid?"
Yes. That's exactly what I wanted to do. Run away, hide, protect myself from potential hurt.
But I couldn't. Because this wasn't just about me anymore.
This was about Lily.
"I'll do it," I whispered. "I'll marry him."
Vanessa hugged me tight. "Good. Now try to get some sleep. You have a wedding to prepare for."
She left twenty minutes later, making me promise to text her in the morning.
I stood at my kitchen window, staring at Dante's house. A shadow moved past his window—him, probably pacing, waiting for an answer.
I grabbed my phone and typed: Okay. I'll marry you.
Before I could overthink it, I hit send.
Three dots appeared immediately. He'd been waiting.
Meet me at the courthouse at 9 AM. Bring Lily and your ID. I'll handle the rest.
My phone buzzed again, but this time from a different number.
Unknown caller.
My stomach dropped as I answered. "Hello?"
Heavy breathing. Then a woman's terrified whisper: "Maya? It's Rebecca."
"Rebecca! Oh my God, where are you? Are you okay? Marcus—"
"Listen to me carefully." Her voice was shaking. "Don't marry Dante Rossi. He's not what he seems. Marcus showed me proof. Dante is dangerous. More dangerous than Marcus. He's been using a fake name. His real identity—" A crash in the background. Rebecca's scream. "He found me. Maya, run. Don't trust—"
The line went dead.
I stood frozen, phone pressed to my ear, my world tilting sideways.
Dante was using a fake name? He was dangerous?
Was everything he'd told me a lie?
I looked at his house, at the shadow still moving behind the window.
Who was Dante Rossi really?
And what had I just agreed to?